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Nod 617,775. Patented 1an. I7, |899. T. E. SCANTLIN.

ACETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

(Application med Aug. a7, 1897.) (No Model.) O 4 Sheets-$heet l.

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(No Medan Patented Jan. I7, 1899. T. E. SCANTLIN.

ACETYLENE GAS GENERTOR.

(Application led: Aug. 27, 1897.)

..Np.'6|7,77'5. Patented 1an. I7, |899. T. E. scANTLm.

ACETYLENE GAS GENEBATUR.

(Application filed Aug. 27, 1897.) K (No Manel.) 4 sheets-sheet s.

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AGETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

(Application led Aug. 27, 1897,)

4 Sheets-Sheet'4.

(No Model.)

NITE STATES Artnr Fries,

THOMAS E. SOAN'lLIN, OF LAFAYETTE, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOHN ROSS, OF SAME PLACE.

ACETYLE-N E-GAS G EN ERATOR,

- SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 617,775, dated January 17, 1899.

Application filed August 27, 1897. Serial No. 649,770,I (No model.) I

To all whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS E. SCANTLIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lafayette, in the county of Tippecanoe and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Acety-lene-Gas Generator, (Case A,) of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in acetylene-gas generators in which I have combined and arranged the several working elements in a manner to provide for the safe storage of a large quantity of gas evolved by immersing calcium carbid in water.

A further object of theinvention is to provide vthe apparatus with means whereby thecreases the carbid-holder is raised and withdrawn from the water to arrest the generation of the gas, obviate Waste of the calcium carbid, and prevent the gas from being en- 'riched beyond the point Where such enrich- 'ment is undesirable.

A further object 4of the present invention is to so arrange and combine the parts as to secure uniform working or coperation of the movable elements of the generator and the gas-holder to render the generator dependent for its operation upon the quantity and pressure of the gas in the holder.

To the laccomplishment of these ends the first vpart of my invention consists in an apparatus for generating acetylene gas comprising a gas-holder, a gas-generator, the movable element of which carries the carbid-receptacle, and means for uniting the movable elements of said gas-holder and the gas-generator, Whereby'the carbid-receptacle which is carried by the movable element of the gasgenerator will be lowered into the water of the gas-generator tank when the pressure of gas in the gas-holder is decreased', and vice versa, and the carbid-receptacle is raised yout of the water when the pressure of the gas in the gas-holder issuficient to raise its movl ings.

able element or the gas-bell to the desired height.l

The invention further consists in the novel combination of devices and in the constructionand arrangement of parts, which will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

The principle of my invention is applicable to acetylene-gas generators .designed for service either as a houseor dwelling gas-generator to supply the pipe-line and the burners distributed through the house or dwelling, or to a gas-generator designed for 'service in connection with a burner to produce an apparatus similar to a portable lamp,which may be moved about from one place to another.

I have illustrated these different embodiments of my invention in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which'-- Figure 1 is a sectional elevation` of a gasgenerating apparatus for house or dwelling service embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional elevation of a portable gasgenerator similar to a lamp. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view on the plane indicated by the dotted line 3 3 of Fig. 2. sectional elevation vof the carbid-receptacle especially designed for service in connection with the apparatus .shown by Figs. 2 and 3. Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view on the plane indicated by the dotted line 5 5' of Fig. l, showing the manner of suspending the carbid-receptacle removably within the movable element or bell of the gas-generator forming part vof the apparatus for dwelling-service shown by Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a view of another embodiment of my generator embodied in the form of a portable gas-lamp and'equipped with means for permitting excess of gas to escape and be consumed at the burner, and Fig. 7 is a detail of the ventor safety-valve.

Like numerals of reference denote correxsponding parts in alll the figures of the draw- The apparatus forming my present inven- Fig. Aiis a detail tion consists of the following elements, to

wit: a gas-generator l, a gas-'holder or gasometer 2, a carbid-receptacle 3, carried by the movable elementor bell of the gas-generator 1, and means for coupling together the mov- 'able elements o'r bells of` the gas-generator and the gas-holder or gasometer to insure the gas-generator as the bell of the gasom eter or gas-holder is lowered orl raised according to the pressure of thev gas? in said gasometer or gas-holder. These elenents of my apparat us, combined and Varranged for service as described, are common to or .present in both forms of the apparatus shown by the drawings as adapted for dwelling-service or for use as a portable lamp.

I will first proceedto describe in detail the apparatus for supplying dwellings or houses with acetylene gas. ,(Shown by Figs. 1 and 5 of the drawings.) The gas-generator 1 of the apparatus consists of the tank 5 and the movable element orbell which is adapted to play or reciprocate vertically in the tank 5, according to the pressure of the gas in the gas-holder 2. .The tank 5 of the gas-generator may be supported inany suitable way, and it is designed to be filled with water up to a suitable line near its upper open end'. The 'vertically-movable bell 6 of the gas-generator is open at its lower end and the upper end thereof is designed to he closed by means of a removable head or cover 7, which may be fastened detachably in place in any suitable way. Y The movable bell 6 of the gas-generator is provided with an interior flange 4or ledge 8, which is arranged near the upper end of the'said bell, and this flaiige provides a seat from which may be suspended the carbid-receptacle 3. This carbid-receptacle consists, preferably, of an open-ended cylindrical vessel having a removable head 9 at its lowerend. The upper open end of the carbid-receptacle is provided with a iiange or with a series of lugs 10, as shown by Fig. 5, and this flange or the lugs extend outwardly from/said receptacle 3 to rest upon the seat-flange 8 of the movable bell of the gas-generator. In the drawings, Fig. 5, I have shown the seat-Harige 8 as provided with a series of notches 1l and the carbid-receptacle as provided with a series of lugs 10, which are spaced apart a distance corresponding to the spacing of the notches 11. This construction enables the carbid-receptacle to be suspended from the seat-flange when the receptacle is turned to a position where the lugsl() of the receptacle are ont ot coincidence with the notches in the seat-fiange 8; but by turning the receptacle around partly the lugs may be brought into alinement with the notches to permit thel carbidreceptacle to be removed from the lower end of the movable bell of the gas-generator. I prefer, however, to remove the carbid-receptacle from the bell of the gasgenerator by detaehing the cover or head therefrom and then lifting Athe carbid-receptacle out through the open upper end of the bell of said generator. This carbid-receptacle is provided near its lower end with a series of radial openings 12, which are formed in the shell of the receptacle above the detachable'A within the tank 2n lower head 9 thereof, and above these waterinlet openings 12 the receptacle is further provided with an annularflange or ledge 13, on which rests the grating or perforated plate 14; that sustains the quantity Vof calcium carbid in the receptacle 6. The employment of the closed removable head 9 at the lower end of the carbid-receptacle below the water-inlet openings thereof isadvantageous in that the receptacle is constructed to contain but a limited volume of Water to'be admitted to the carbid contained within the receptacle, and the head forms, with the shell of the receptacle below the openingsilherein, a closed chamber to contain the residuum that may be deposited in the receptacle. This residuum is thus contained in the subchamber of the carbid-receptacle to prevent its precipitation into the water contained in the tank 5 of the gas-generator, and the residuurn may be easily emptied by detaching the head 9 from-the receptacle,as will'be understood,

The gas-holder or gasometer 2 issimlar in construction to the common devices of this nature in that it consists of a water-tank 2n and a vertically-movable bell 2b, which is adapted to play freely in a vertical direction and in the water contained therein.

The vertically-movable bells of the gas-generator and the gas-holder are coupled together by rigid connections to insure the simultaneous movement of said elements of the apparatus. I prefer to employ the discharge-pipe 15 as the means for` joining these movable elements together; but the pipe may besupplemented by the brace 16. (Shown -by Fig. 1.) The discharge-pipe 15 is of elbow form, a1-

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though this is not essential, and one end of thisV pipe 15 is rigidly attached to the bell G of the gas-generator, while its other end is attached in like manner to the bell 2b of the gas-holder. The brace 16 is bolted rigidly to the two bells; but this brace may be omitted in case it is found that the pipe 15 affords sufficient strength to operatively connect the movable elements of the gas-generator and the gasholder. In the apparatus shown by Fig. 1 I

design to arrange the generator and the holder side by side in closel proximity one toy the other; but the holder may be situated some distance away from the generator and be operatively connected therewith in any suitable way. The pipe 15 besides serving to rigidly connect the movable bells 0f the holder and generator affords an outlet from the generator to the holder, and -thus the gas as it is evolved by the action of the carbid and water is conducted' from the generator to and stored in the holder. This connectingpipe 15 is provided with a suitable cock or valve 17, by which. the pipe may be closed to cut oii the passage of the gas from the generator to the holder, and the bell 6 of said generator is outer air when the pipe 15 is closed by the IIO valve 17 to prevent the entrance of any more gas into the holder 2. This gas-holder 2 is also provided with the outlet-pipe 19 ,havin ga suitable valve 191. When this valve 19 is open,

' the gas may passfrom the holder to the pipe system of a dwelling or other building.,

I will now proceed to describe the apparatus shown by Figs. 2, 3, and al. of the drawings, in which the parts are arranged for service in aportable form to provide an acetylenegas lamp adapted to be moved from one place toanother, as occasion may require. In this iembodiment of the invention the gas-generator 1 and the gas-holder 2 are constructed in a compact form to be inclosed within a suitable exterior casing 2l, forming the bowl or body of the lamp-like apparatus. In this embodiment of the portable apparatus the tank 2L is extended above the bell 2", so as to form a medium for inclosing the bell and the generator 1, and the upper end ofthe holder-tank 2 and the external shell or casing 21 are coupled or united together by the coupling-ring or annulus 22. This couplingring 22 is anged interiorly to form a' seat for the upper edge of the tank of the gasometer, and said interior flange of the coupling-ring is arranged in theA path of the vertically-movable bells of the gasgenerator and the gas-holder, 'as shown, to provide the means whereby the upward movement of said` bells it and 21 of the generator and holder are limited. The coupling-ring and the open upper end ot' the inclosing casing 2l are constructed for attach'mentdirectly together by -one or more turns of the rings into the in! closing casing-as, for instance, by providing the parts with screw-threads. If desired, the' thread may be arranged to render necessary only a part turn of the ring 22 to connect it to the inclosing casing. The vertically-movable bell 2 ofthe gas-holder is closed at its upper side, and it lies wholly within the extended upper part of the tank, as shown'. The gasgenerator is situated or arranged wholly within the tank 2 of the gas-holder at or near one side thereof. t The water-tank 5 of the gas-generator is provided with a doubled or bent flange 23 at its upper end, and within thisiianged end of thetank of said generator is fitted the bell of the generator in a manner to prevent splashing of the water from the tank of said generator or from the tank of the holder when the apparatus is moved from one place to another. The bell of the generator slides freely, but it its snugly within the ianged end 23 of the generator-tank. I may provide the lower end of the movable bell of the generator wi th a closed head and provide inlet-openings in the iiange 23 of the generator-tank for the passage of water through the iianged end of the tank to the carbid-receptacle. The carbid-receptacle for the generator, forming part of the apparatus shown by Fig. 2, is of the form shown by Fig. 4, from an inspection of which itwill yappear that the receptacle or holder has the removable head at its lower end, the grate, the inlet-openings between the head and the grate, andwith a handle or bail 25, which is loosely or pivotally attached to thev upper open end of the receptacle. This-bailis provided with lateral lugs 26, adapted to rest upon the interior seat-fiange of the verticallymovable bell, and said bell thus serves as the means for suspending the carbid-receptacle within the bell of the generator and as a means for conveniently removing the carbidreceptacle from the generator. In the portable apparatus having the gas-generator arranged wholly within and to one side of the holder I find it necessary to construct the bell of the gas-holder in a manner to enable it to clear the generator, and to this end I provide the bell 2b of the holder with the vertical groove or channel 2C, (shown by Fig. 3,) in which groove or channel is arranged the gas-generator. The bell 6 of the generator is coupled with the bell 2" of the holder by the' pipe or tube 15 to insure simultaneous movement to the bells of the generator-and the holder. This connecting-pipe 15 in the portable apparatus has a valve 27, arranged to cut oit communication between the bells of the generator and the holder, said valve having a protruding stem for its convenient operation. The coupling-ring 22 of the portable apparatus -carries a head 28, which is pivoted to the ring, as at 29, and has its other edge confined by a suitable catch 30.' This head or cover 28 sustains the burner 8l, which is suitably attached to the head or cover, and this burner is inclosed by a globe 32, sustained by the shade-holder 33. The burner is operatively connected with the movable bell of the gas-holder by the flexible pipe or tube ,34.

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In the practicalembodiment of my inve'ntion I prefer to use in the construction of the generator and the holder a material which is impervious to the action of the acetylene gas. One material suitable for this purpose consists of the fmetal known as granite-iron, in which the metal isprotected by a composition which renders it impervious to the action of the gas. e lain or other earthenware .material in the manufacture of the apparatus.

In Figs. 6 and 7 of the drawings I have shown another embodiment of my generator in the form of a portable gas-lamp, and' in the type ot' the invention I have'provided means for permitting the excess gas to escape from the storage-compartment of the generatoror holder and be conductedv to the flame at the burner, whereby the excessive supply of gas is permitted to escape "automatically and to be consumed at the burner, fthus obviating the presence of the obnoxious gas in the room or apartment andthe liability of an explosion due to the gas escaping into the room adjacent to a flame from the lampburner. In this embodiment of my invention I provide the gas-holder or gasometer IIC with an automatic vent or escape-valve 35, and with this vent or valve isconnected a flexible tubing or pipe, which is arranged to discharge the gas escaping through the vent or safety-valve at the tip of the gas-burner. This tube or pipe 3G is flexible to compensate for the vertical play of the bell o f the gas-holder or gasometer, and it leads through the head or top of the stationary tank or casing of the apparatus. The upper extremity of this pipe or tube 36 terminates adjacent to the gas-burner in order that said pipe may discharge the excessive supply of gas at the burner to be consumed thereby, thus pre'- venting the escape of gas into the room and reducing to a minimum the liability of explosions.` The vent or safety-valve 35 may be of the construction shown by Fig. 7 of the drawings, in which I have illustrated a ballvalve within a suitable casing 'and adapted to seat itself by gravity over the vent-port in the head of the gasometer-bell; but this particular type of safety-valve is not at all important, because I am aware that other styles of safety-vent valves may be used in the practical embodiment of the invention.

It is thought that the operation and the ad vantages of my invention will be readily undei-stood from the foregoing description .taken in connection with the drawings.

I would-here remark that the pipes or tubes 34 and 36 may be made of any material not subject to deterioration by the action of the acetylene gas. It is well known that the chemical action of this kind of gason rubber or rubber fabric soon causes deterioration of such substances as rubber, and to overcome this objection I prefer to use pipesor tubing of other material than rubber. metal in the manufacture of these flexible pipes or tubes, in which case the tubes are made in sections jointed iexibly together to allow the tubes, or either'of them, to lengthen and shorten, and thus accommodate themsellves to the vertical play of the gasometerbe l.

I am aware thatvchanges in the -forrn and proportion of parts and in thedetails of construction of the devices herein shown and described as the preferred embodiment of my invention may be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing the advantages of myinvention. Itherefore reserve the right to make such alterations and modifications as fairly fallwithin the scope of the invention.

Having thus -fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

I. In an acetylene-gas apparatus, the combination with a gasometer, and a generator having a vertically-movable bell slidably tted within the tank of said generator, of a carbid vessel removably suspended at its upper end within said generator-bell and provided with a closed bottom, a crate and the water-inlet ports between the crate and the closed bottom to form a chamber for the rc- I may use ception of spent carbid, and a rigid valved pipe fastened to the gasometenbell and attached to the generator-bell at a point above 1 the suspension of the carbid vessel therein, whereby the pipe connects the bells of the generator and gasometer 4 to insure simultaneous movement thereto and the carbid vesselmay be removed at will from the generator, substantially as described. 4

2. In an acetylene-'gas generator, a water'- tank provided at or near the water-line with an internal guide-sleeve, a vertically-movable bell `slidable within said guide-sleeve, and a carbid vessel suspended within the generatorbell to travel therewith, in combination with a gasomcter-bell, and a rigid coupling-pipe attached to the gasometer-bell and fastened to the generator-bell above the point of suspension of the carbid vessel therein, substantially as described.

` 3. In an acetylene-gasgenerator, a casing having a water-tank for the gasometer, and a vertically-movable bell provided with a vertical recess in one side thereof, combined with a generator-tank situated in the recess in said gasometer-bell, a generator-bell situated in the recess of the gasometer-bell to play in the generatontank and carrying a carbid vessel, and a rigid .coupling-pipe between the beils of said gasometerand generator, substantially as described.

4. The combination of a casing having va gasometer-tank and a removable head, a generator-bell with a vertical recess 4in one side thereof, a generator situated Within thecas- IOO ing for its bell to lie within the recess of the gasometer-bell, a rigid pipe united to the bells of the generator and the gasometer to insure simultaneous movement thereto within said casing, a burner supported on the head of said casing, and aflexible connection between the burner and the gasometer-bell, substantially as described.

5. In a gas-generating apparatus, the combination with a gas-holder, and a gas-gener-- atorhaving its bell provided with a carbidreceptacle, means for connecting the bells of said generator and holder, an inclosing cashead fitted to the coupling-ring, and a burner. carried by the head and having a flexible conn ection with the movable bell of the holder, as and for the purposes described.

- 6. In a gas-generating apparatus, the combination with a gas-holder, of a gas-generator 1 15 ing, a coupling-ring attached to the casing, ay Y having its bell operatively connected Vwith the holder-bell to travel therewith, a fixed burner having a ilexibleconne'ction With'the holder` bell to supply gas to the burner` under all fluctuations of said bell, an automatic safetyvalve carried by the holder-bell, and a flexi ble connection leading from the safety-valve to the burner, substantially as described.

- 7. In a gas-generating apparatus, the com-l bination with a casing, anda gas-holder, of

a generator situated with the holder within' the casing and having the bells of said holder and generator operatively coupled together,

- as described.

8. In a gas-generating lamp, the combination with a casing, a generator, a gasometer, and a burner mounted on the casing and having a iiexible connection'with said gasometer,

of a safety-valve connected with the gasometer, and a ieXible Vent-pipe connected with I5 the safety-valve and having a discharge ad- 'jacent to the burner-tip, as and for the purposes described. l

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aiixed my signature in -zo the presence of tWo Witnesses. i

THOMAS E. SCANTLIN.

Witnesses:

MAUD L. MCCORKLE. WILLIAM WILGUs. 

